• 2026-03-27

Talk To Talk National Forum: Building Partnerships, Trust, and Accountability in Kenya’s Refugee Response

Introduction: Why Talk To Talk Matters Now Kenya hosts hundreds of thousands of refugees and asylum seekers and has long been recognized for its leadership in refugee protection and progressive policy frameworks. Over the years, many organizations — government institutions, UN agencies, international NGOs, national NGOs, and refugee-led organizations — have worked tirelessly to support refugees and host communities across camps and urban areas. However, as the refugee response ecosystem grows more complex, new challenges are emerging: coordination gaps, partnership imbalances, limited access to financing for refugee-led organizations, duplication of efforts in some areas, and lack of consistent national dialogue platforms where all actors can engage as equal stakeholders. It is within this context that the Talk To Talk National Forum was created. Talk To Talk is not just an event. It is a platform. A platform for dialogue, partnership, accountability, and shared solutions.

The Problem: Fragmentation, Power Imbalances, and Limited Dialogue Spaces Across Kenya’s refugee response ecosystem, many organizations are doing important and impactful work. Yet several systemic challenges continue to affect the effectiveness and fairness of the response system: Limited structured dialogue between refugee-led organizations and institutional actors Partnership power imbalances between local and international organizations Limited access to direct financing and sub-granting for refugee-led organizations Fragmented coordination between camp-based and urban refugee actors Duplication of programs in some areas and gaps in others Limited accountability mechanisms across partnerships Weak national platforms for shared learning and joint planning Without structured national dialogue and agreed standards for partnership and collaboration, mistrust can grow, opportunities can be missed, and the overall quality of services to refugees and host communities can suffer. The refugee response system is strongest when actors trust each other, coordinate effectively, and work toward shared outcomes rather than isolated organizational achievements. This is what Talk To Talk aims to strengthen. The Talk To Talk National Forum The Talk To Talk National Forum, scheduled for 15th–16th July 2026 in Nairobi, will bring together actors from Nairobi, Kakuma–Kalobeyei, and Dadaab to discuss and strengthen collaboration across the refugee response ecosystem. The forum aims to strengthen: Equitable partnerships National coordination Accountability mechanisms Dialogue between refugee-led organizations and institutional stakeholders Collaboration between camp-based and urban refugee actors Donor confidence through transparent partnership standards and measurable commitments The forum will not be a conference for speeches. It will be a working forum focused on dialogue, matchmaking, partnership building, and concrete outcomes.

Core Dialogue Pillars The Talk To Talk Forum will be structured around five core dialogue pillars that reflect key areas where collaboration and reform are needed: 1. Partnership and Shared Power This pillar will address how organizations work together, how partnerships are formed, and how decision-making power can be shared more equitably between international organizations, national NGOs, and refugee-led organizations. 2. Fair Financing, Sub-Granting, and Accountability Access to financing remains one of the biggest challenges for refugee-led organizations. This pillar will focus on fair financing practices, transparent sub-granting mechanisms, and accountability frameworks that build donor confidence and strengthen local implementation capacity. 3. Protection, Safeguarding, and Community Feedback Protection and safeguarding must remain at the center of the refugee response. This pillar will focus on safeguarding standards, accountability to affected populations, and strengthening community feedback mechanisms. 4. Visibility, Recognition, and Ethical Storytelling Refugee communities are often represented in stories and reports without meaningful involvement or recognition. This pillar will discuss ethical storytelling, visibility of refugee-led initiatives, and recognition of local leadership and innovation. 5. Sustainable Solutions: Education, Livelihoods, and Resilience Humanitarian assistance alone is not enough. Sustainable solutions must include education, livelihoods, skills development, and resilience-building programs that allow refugees and host communities to move toward self-reliance and economic participation. Refugee-Led Organizations: From Implementers to System Builders One of the most important messages behind Talk To Talk is that refugee-led organizations are not only implementers — they are partners, innovators, conveners, and system builders. Refugee-led organizations: Understand community needs closely Can access communities faster Build trust more easily Operate at lower cost Provide culturally appropriate solutions Support accountability to affected populations Strengthen community ownership and sustainability Supporting refugee-led organizations is not charity. It is smart humanitarian and development practice aligned with global commitments on localization and participation. Talk To Talk demonstrates that refugee-led organizations are capable not only of implementing projects but also of convening national dialogue, facilitating partnerships, and contributing to policy and coordination discussions. A Call for Partnership, Not Competition Talk To Talk is not intended to compete with existing coordination mechanisms, organizations, or platforms. On the contrary, it is intended to strengthen the entire system by creating space for dialogue, trust-building, and collaboration. The refugee response system is too complex for any single organization to solve alone. The future of humanitarian and development work depends on collaboration, coordination, and equitable partnerships. Talk To Talk is therefore an invitation: An invitation to international organizations An invitation to UN agencies An invitation to government institutions An invitation to donors An invitation to national NGOs An invitation to refugee-led organizations An invitation to sit together, talk openly, build trust, and strengthen how we work together. Conclusion: This Is More Than a Forum — It Is a Movement The Talk To Talk National Forum is built on a simple belief: Stronger partnerships lead to stronger programs. Stronger programs lead to stronger impact. Stronger impact leads to stronger communities. This forum is not about one organization. It is about the refugee response ecosystem in Kenya. It is about partnership. It is about accountability. It is about shared solutions. It is about the future of refugee response. Talk To Talk is more than a meeting — it is a movement toward equitable partnerships, stronger coordination, and refugee-led leadership. We invite partners, donors, institutions, and stakeholders to support and participate in the Talk To Talk National Forum, 15th–16th July 2026, Nairobi, Kenya. Partner with us. Sponsor the forum. Amplify refugee voices. Build solutions together.